Erdogan’s ally disgustingly reminds Greeks of their slaughter in Smyrna

ANKARA, Turkey – He overcomes every limit of cheer with the “recitals” of insurgents unleashed a moment ago by Tayyip Erdogan’s ally and leader of the Turkish Nationalist Movement, Develet Bahceli, who spoke in the most shameful way against the Greeks and his ancestors at a parliamentary meeting his team.

“The bottom of the Aegean Sea is full of their grandparents,” Bahchelli said, indicating that Mr Erdogan’s government partner is doing nothing but engaging in wretched and unethical attacks on Greece.

“All the world knows who dropped bullets of national authority, and the bottom of the sea is full of the grandparents of those who have spoken empty words. They suffered the consequences when they tried to circle Turkey. It’s not a joke, “Bahchelli said.

His reference is to the tragedy known as the Great Fire of Smyrna where up to 100,000 Greeks and Armenians were slaughtered after Turkish forces set the Greek and Armenian quarters of Smyrna, today’s Izmir, on fire. Many Greeks and Armenians died from the flames but also from drowning as they attempted to reach international ships, including American and French, who were watching just hundreds of meters away as the tragedy unfolded.

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It is obvious that the leader of the “Gray Wolves” [an ultra-nationalist Turkish organization] is moving beyond the bent and unacceptable insults, making every effort possible to make any normalization at the level of the Greek-Turkish relations.

He himself attacked the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, saying: “This person in Brussels, without blaming, said that Turkey is pursuing a hot episode in the Aegean and if it does it will be like shooting her legs,” he said referring to statements by Alexis Tsipras from the recent Summit.

It is not, however, the first time that the head of the “Gray Wolves” engages in such a phrase to Greece.

It is recalled that a month ago he had said characteristically: “The Turkish Foreign Minister on February 26 has aptly announced the limits of his Greek counterpart and said to explain well to this disgraced child and not to try our patience. He went on to breathe in the islands owned by the newly appointed head of the Greek army. The Greek Foreign Minister is threatening. Greece envied hostility the islands and the rocky islands that it did not conquer in the Balkan wars and which were not given to Lausanne. We must unconditionally end this occupation. There must be behavior based on international rules. If they want to go back to the sea, if their soul pulls their hunts, they can well define, the Turkish army is ready. Some explain to the Greek government what happened in 1921 and 1922. If there is no one to explain them, we can come as a ball into the Aegean and teach them the story again. Do not be horrified or enthusiastic without reason. The Greek people, who do not count the law of their neighbor, stop being condemned.”

Paul Antonopoulos is a Research Fellow at the Center for Syncretic Studies. He has an MA in International Relations and is interested in Great Power Rivalry as well as the International Relations and Political Economy of the Middle East and Latin America.